Promises
by io sono mi-cchi
Summary: AU. CxN. It all started with a broken promise of their ancestors. At present, will their personal broken promises change anything?
1. Prologue

**Promises  
by io sono mi-cchi**

**Prologue**

The rivalry between the Hanakomachi and Hikarigaoka families rooted from a broken promise.

Satou Hikarigaoka was engaged to be married to Midori Hanakomachi. It was not a formal promise made in public, but both parties were both sure and passionate about their love. The two families were close even before the two were born. The engagement strengthened their bond. Since they were into politics and business, they helped each other when one of them is in a pinch.

During the Second World War, Satou was called to duty in the Philippines. They vowed under their favorite Sakura tree that they would be married as soon as he came home.

The promise never came true.

Years passed after the war when Midori discovered that Satou had married another woman. She was a nurse who tended him after the war. They met in Tokyo and their romance lasted for months until he took it to the next level by marrying her on the same day they had met after the six months they had been together.

It sounded romantic to foreign ears, but it was pathetic for Midori and her family. It was low for Satou to forget the promise he made to Midori. If he was not sure about it, he should not have made the promise, thus it would not be agonizing for the woman.

Slowly, the ties of the two families grew brittle and eventually they broke of their friendly relations. Negative feelings toward the other party emerged. True opinions came out of the secret stash of inhibited responses. Then, they also broke off their plan of merging in business. They became rivals. Their competition was cutthroat, and only a selected few could stand between the two.

Midori was still bitter. Satou was still married. The clash was actually meaningless. It would not change anything, but the others kept on going, as they were fueled with anger and a trail of emotions that came with it.

Two generations after, they never thought that they would be forced into a ceasefire by the almost same thing that started it all.

* * *

A/N: Prologue to another _promising _story. (It's up to you to interpret the word _promising_). This is something that came up while I was people watching (Believe me, it had nothing to do with the people).

Tell me what you think! :)


	2. 1: Broken

**Promises  
by io sono mi-cchi**

**Chapter 1: Broken**

"I _**hate**_ you," with much emphasis on the word _hate_, Christine Hanakomachi pronounced the words crisply. She glared at the blond offender beside her, nonchalantly driving his stupid red sports car.

"I _**love**_ you too," Nozoumo answered with sweetened sarcasm. The strawberry blonde-haired chick tried to relax herself with calming breaths despite her increasing blood lust. She mentally counted.

_One… two… three…_

On the other hand, he sighed a sigh that spoke of a thousand frustrations. "It was not intentional, believe me," he justified, "It was all because of the alcohol. I would never destroy my family's trust on my own will. Who in their right mind would?"

She remained silent, trying to concentrate on her relaxation technique.

"Anyway," he continued, "I'm not entirely the one at fault here. You responded eagerly, as I have remembered." Then, he smirked.

She was irked. He didn't have to vocalize those thoughts while equaled to their experience the night before. The sensation lingered on her lips. She remembered how his lips crashed hers roughly, deeply, passionately which triggered to arouse warm feelings deep within her. His tongue coaxed her lower lip for entrance. Breathless, their hands roamed around and…

"I did not," she denied as different shades of red invaded her face.

She mentally shook the thoughts away. She was not going to go into _that_. It was pretty much… embarrassing and indecent.

Whatever happened to the promise she made before her annoying cousin Kurita that became her motto in life?

"_I will be Kanata-kun's one and only bride. If I can't be, then I'll be good as dead."_

Now, she was unworthy of him, her Kanata-kun, the only man she wanted ever since he met her fifteen years ago in her class back in elementary. She wanted to sulk in one corner, lament on her shamefulness, and die a lonely death.

"_Trust and integrity are values that you should never forget," her grandfather once said, "for they are most essential for a foundation in good relationships. Give me your word that you shall not associate yourself with the Hikarigaokas. They are rivals. They are enemies. They are traitors. Never be like them. Never be with them."_

Now, what happened to her 'yes'? She became an instant enemy of her family. She had broken her promise. She was such a shame, especially to her grandfather. He witnessed how his sister suffered from depression because of Satou's stupidity. It would be a figurative slap on his face if he would learn about their unwanted 'relations'. Nozoumo is a Hikarigaoka, an enemy. He may be blessed with a handsome face, but his personality was rotten. Ever since their childhood, they were forced to be with each other. Those who are hardcore haters toward each other almost treated them like fighting cocks in a derby. They're always comparing each other, thus creating a crab mentality-based relationship.

Nozoumo had been always mean to her, pulling her pretty pigtails, spilling chocolate milk on her immaculately white dress, and setting out mischievous pranks pulled on her. In short, he was her personal bully.

There was one time when Christine had been harassed by Nozoumo and his gang. A passerby, though just a kid, defended her and even landed a punch on the blond boy's face. Ever since then, she named him her hero, her prince, her soon-to-be husband.

It was her unfortunate Kanata-kun.

Ever since that incident, she had been infatuated by him. She tried to keep her distance, as delicadeza dictates, but her rushing emotions could not help but take over her sane self and destroy who gets too close and intimate with Kanata.

She continued life like that with the monster Nozoumo and the hero Kanata, with her classmates turned friends namely Aya, Nanami, Santa, and eventually the newcomer Miyu. She was glad she got rid of Hikarigaoka during high school. He went to an exclusive school, while she followed Kanata in an advanced school.

"Hey," Nozoumo said, "Quit daydreaming and get off my car. You're home already."

Christine wordlessly got out of the car and left.

"Aren't you gonna say something?" he inquired teasingly.

She turned to his direction and glared. She seethed, "Fuck you, asshole."

"I would gladly do it again," he smugly replied. Oh, he should not have done that. Christine got hold of the nearest object she saw and threw it on the car's direction. Then, she sasshyaed towards the magnificent door of their home.

"HANAKOMACHI, PAY FOR THIS, YOU BITCH!" he bellowed angrily for the windshield of his sports car shattered. Christine's lips formed into a triumphant smile as she closed the door behind her, having a last look a very frustrated Nozoumo Hikarigaoka.

/

Her grandfather happened to be at the living room, so he witnessed their little brawl.

"Why are you with him?" he asked.

"He happened to pass by me when I was hailing a taxi," she lied. There was a long gap of silence before she decided to fill in again.

"Well, at least, I _did_ pay for the ride." With that the grandfather and granddaughter shared evil smiles.

/

Christine had been anything but well. She had been throwing up at random times ever since the day before. It might have been fatigue because she had been rushing her designs for an upcoming project. She had not been sleeping and eating right.

'_I guess my body is at my limit,_' she thought to herself. She collapsed on her soft bed and snuggled in the security of her fluffy comforter. Then, she felt a wave of nausea. She flew to the bathroom and faced the toilet bowl to empty the contents of her stomach. When she washed up, she noticed how pale her skin was from its usual color.

The unknown sickness had been persistent for a week. She consulted this to Nanami, who happened to be an obstetrician, and told her that she should try conducting a pregnancy test. She hoped that her doctor friend was wrong and it was just something with her irregular diet.

It was possible since she and Nozoumo had done _it_ around two months ago. She shook the thoughts away. _'No,'_ she conditioned herself, _'That is not going to happen.' _She knew that even though Nozoumo was a prick, he was still sensible enough to control the situation.

She snuck into a convenience store and bought the pregnancy test pack. She followed the instructions and waited. When it was time to see the results, she looked at the strip.

Both the test line and control line were present. As indicated in the manual it was...

_Positive._

_'No, it is impossible. _Impossible._' _She could not believe her eyes. She must be in some sort of nightmare.

"Oh God, this must _not _be true," she pleaded.

At 24 years of age, Christine Hanakomachi's life was already ruined.

* * *

A/N: Hey guys, another chapter of _Promises_. I've made minor changes. I've also changed the rating, since I realized that I was only using profanities. I promise I'll keep it as minimal as possible.

Thanks for the reviews, by the way. /hugs

Review if you wish.


	3. 2: Proposal

**Promises  
by io sono mi-cchi**

**Chapter 2: Proposal**

Nozoumo had no idea what just happened.

Everything went on like a whirlwind. First, there was a certain woman named Christine Hanakomachi beside him when he woke up who had no clothes on (so as he) and no clear recollection of what had happened the night before. Then, when she woke up, he never heard the end of her (literally) violent rant. As if she the only one in a disadvantage. Now, she had the shame to ruin his prized sports car's windshield. His view obscured by the large cracks on the glass so he could not drive as fast as he usually does.

Instead of heading into his own home first, he came in to Santa Kurosu's car repair shop. The wide-eyed man came to greet his regular customer. He frowned at the large damage done to the sweet vehicle.

"Is there anything you can do with this, Santa?" the blonde man asked tiredly.

"Yes, but it'll take some time," replied Santa as he studied the damage closely. Since Nozoumo trusted the mechanic, he left him to take care of his beloved vehicle.

/

Nozoumo arrived at the hospital by foot, since it was a ten-minute walk from the repair shop. Nanami, a former classmate and childhood friend who became a doctor herself, looked at him curiously as she saw him walk in the lobby.

"Did your car disappear?" the auburn-haired woman inquired, "I haven't seen it in your space."

"I got it fixed," he answered casually, but the damage was not a casual matter.

/

Two months has passed and he had almost forgotten the incident until the imp called.

"DAMN YOU!" she yelled at the other end of the line. Good thing he didn't put his phone on his ear when she shouted or else he might have been deaf for the remaining years of his life.

"Hey, what did I do this time?" he asked irritably, "And how the hell did you know my personal number?"

"It doesn't matter," she growled, "You got me pregnant."

"I—WHAT!" If he were eating or drinking something, he might have choked and died. "You're kidding, right?"

"Am I a person who does that sh*t?" she asked him furiously. She was answered with a brief silence and so she continued ranting, "NO, I DON'T! I don't even swear this often. I always keep my calm until _now_. Now that the damage is done, what should I do? Abort the baby and scar my conscience and soul forever? Let it be and be ousted from my own family? Or should I commit suicide so there would be no problem at all? Tell me, dear sir, what should I do?" By the end of that, she was almost breathless and embarrassed. It had been the first time she let her feelings out. It felt like going to confession, but this time, it's a confession of anger which seemed to be fueled every second that passed.

She was still met by a thoughtful silence. She was about to speak when he told her his opinion.

"Let's meet somewhere where we can talk about this properly," Nozoumo said. Then, he hanged up.

/

They met in a cozy café far away from their workplaces so that a few, if no one, would notice who they were. Nozoumo peered from the book he was reading when the bell above the door clang. It was the woman he was waiting for. She walked towards his table and sat across him. He put down the book and lent her his ears.

"Have you realized the gravity of this situation, Mr. Hikarigaoka?" she asked, seriousness evident in her expression and her voice. He nodded in approval.

"I understand it so much that I have driven myself to a very crazy idea," he added, "Let's elope."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you insane?" she asked incredulously.

"Apparently, yes," he replied with much sarcasm, "because I'm even going to propose to you just to save your ass from disgrace."

A waitress passed by, which silenced them both from the topic. Christine hailed the said waitress and ordered a mocha frappe.

"Don't play around, Nozoumo," she warned, clearly distressed. She rubbed her temples to ease the tension.

He dignified his statement, "I'm serious about that Christine Hanakomachi." He seized her hands from her temples and held them tight. "Be engaged to me."

If only he weren't from a family of his mortal enemy and a jerk in her life, she would have been blushing madly at the romantic scene. Fortunately (according to her), there wasn't a tinge of romance in the situation.

"I can't. I don't love you," she said, tugging off her hands from his, but his grip was strong so she hadn't released herself from his hands.

Nozoumo laughed at this. Christine looked at him like he had become a madman. He told her, "Do you think I'm doing this because I _love_ you? _Please_, woman, don't be so disillusioned. I'm doing this to save face. If I'm getting a girl pregnant, then I should be at least in a relationship with her. Plus, this is also a bit of an advantageous request. If your family finds out you got knocked up out of wedlock, let alone to a man who isn't even in a relationship with you, do you think they won't erase you from the family tree?"

"What about the family rivalry and all that?" she asked him, hoping that he'll withdraw what he had just said.

He paused for a while and thought. He assumed that their "engagement" would make things go smoother. What if it made the tension between the two families worse? Was a marriage proposal worth it?

After another round of thinking, he convinced himself afterwards that they might change their views afterwards. After all they were bound to be married, plus they have a baby coming their way. It was unstoppable, almost.

The only disadvantage of the given situation was the fact that they'll be bound to matrimony (if given the chance to be pushed through). He hoped that it would just be something like having a roommate.

Christine considered this. To save the remaining external dignity that she has, his stupid proposal had turned into something sensible.

With a sigh, she agreed even though she knew it was a regrettable decision. She put the rest of it in God's hands, even though she didn't really believe in His existence entirely.

* * *

A/N: This chapter reminds me of the role play we did for Human Dev class. :)) Sorry for the swear words. I couldn't help but make distressed!Christine use it. Hope you like the chapter. Reviews and ConCrit are very much appreciated.

Anyway, thanks for the reviews!


	4. 3: Womb

**Promises  
by io sono mi-cchi**

**Chapter 3: Womb**

"Was it a worthy decision?" Christine asked the ceiling, but it answered her with its ever-blankness. She sighed.

She closed her eyes and savored the softness that the comforter gave her. Unconsciously, she rubbed her tummy and hummed a soft melody. She opened her eyes once again. Would it be worth it to marry her long time enemy for the sake of the child inside her?

Her mind wandered on the topic of single motherhood. Maybe she could escape them altogether, hide from everyone, change her name and her looks, get a humble and decent job, and raise the baby herself.

Thinking about it was tiring. She thought if she could undo those stupid things she did, un-drink those shots and glasses of alcohol, maybe she could still have the right to dream of the perfect family life for her. She could be with the man she loved, have kids with him, and live happily ever after. Unfortunately, none of those are going to happen.

A tear streaked her cheek. She caressed her tummy comfortingly. She didn't want the child growing in her womb, and that fact alone pierced her heart. Every time she thought of this whole thing, she never ceased to cry in the end. It was not purely because of lamentation, but also because of confusion and pain.

If only she could tell anyone.

The only person who knew was Nozoumo. It was comforting in a way, but he could never understand the battle waging in her. He could never understand what it is to be pregnant because he doesn't have a freaking vagina to begin with.

She can't tell her friends, even Nanami, because she's afraid. She doesn't know why, but that's how she feels.

She can't tell her family. Oh no. She wished that they would be the last to know. They would probably force her to eliminate the baby or something. It is okay for her to be punished, but not this innocent child inside her.

She can't even tell her mother. Her mother, who would understand it all, might be her saving grace, but she can't bring herself to tell her. Her mother would be heartbroken, she was sure; and she can't afford that.

She sighed once again, wiping the free-flowing tears.

/

Christine met Nozoumo in the hospital cafeteria in the mezzanine. She looked as anxious as he did on the inside, but he didn't let it show.

He led her to the clinic where they'll be meeting Nanami. There were a few women with their partners waiting in line. Christine noticed that the bulges in their abdomen varied in size. The woman beside her had a really large one.

"Is this your first visit?" she asked with a smile. Christine nodded sheepishly.

"Don't be too nervous," the woman advised, "It's quite long but it's no biggie."

Christine's attention shifted towards her big belly. The woman noticed it too. "She's seven months old now," she said as she affectionately rubbed her bulge.

The assistant called out a name, and the woman stood up. She bid them goodbye and good luck.

/

At last, Christine's name was called. Her heart must have stopped beating. She wanted to believe that everything was a dream. She can't face her friend, even as a patient to a doctor.

The only thing that prevented her from doing so was Nozoumo's hand on her shoulder, leading her to the room where Nanami examined her patients. When the door closed behind them, the auburn-haired doctor hugged her tightly. She was paralyzed at first, taken aback by her friend's unusual action. Soon, she gave in the hug, wrapping her arms around her too.

They released each other.

"I can't believe it," Nanami said, on the brink of tears, "It is really true, isn't it?" Christine could only nod.

"Who's the father?" she asked. The woman questioned turned and stared at Nozoumo. The doctor followed her gaze. She got the message, as she shot the father's child with a glare.

Christine explained to her what happened. Nanami occasionally sent him icy looks, which he would like to deflect as much as possible.

"Well, at least you're taking responsibility," she commented, "but really!" She sighed exasperatedly. She didn't know if she was to rejoice or feel sorry for her friend's fate.

Then, they went on with taking their medical history and the examination proper.

/

It was time for Christine's ultrasound.

Nozoumo saw on the monitor the image of the baby. It hasn't taken up the shape of a human, but he was still amazed at the sight. He always saw it in videos and pictures, but this was different.

'_Because it is _yours_,'_ the voice inside him said. His heart skipped a beat.

Christine looked at the monitor. She could not believe it. There was a life growing inside her. A tear escaped.

Everything in that screen is in her womb. It felt like seeing a miracle unfold before her very eyes.

/

There was contemplative silence between them. It was only broken when Christine was about to bid him goodbye. Out of impulse, he asked her to let him take her home. Christine politely declined since she brought her own car with her. She also added her reasons with the family.

'_Well, that was civil,'_ Nozoumo's inner self commented.

He watched her disappear from his sight before he proceeded to his office to gather his things.

He felt so out of character. Was it all because of that ultrasound image? Was it because he saw that trickle of tear in the corner of her eye?

He sighed.

Will he really marry her? Was it worth his family's approval? Heck, they don't even want to be near each other, but now, he had proposed to her to be his partner forever.

Goodness. It was all messed up.

Then, the thought of the baby nudged his mind. He wondered what it will feel like after he/she is born. He imagined soft tiny finger, trying to grasp his, beady eyes staring at him in wonder, and his/her coo. He wanted to know what it sounds like. He sounds like a father-to-be.

'_Which you really are,' _his mind reminded.

Upon reaching full realization, it hit him quite hard. He is going to be a father. He didn't know if he would take it as a burden or a blessing.

His phone rang.

"Hikarigaoka," the person from the other line spoke. It was Christine, no doubt. "Can I withdraw my decision? I won't marry you." For one reason or another, his heart sank. "But don't be too happy. Support me and the baby."

"Good enough," he merely said, "So what do you plan?"

"Run away and be a single mom," she replied, "So support me, dammit. You're partially at fault here, and I won't allow you to escape from the responsibility. Let's talk about it tomorrow." Then, she hung up.

It took awhile before he put the phone in his pocket. That was quite unexpected.

* * *

**A/N:** So... I know it took awhile since I needed to clear my mind and reorganize my thoughts. So yeah... Chapter 3! YAY!  
Truthfully, it's kind of inspired by this issue on RH Bill... which led me to the 'theme' of life (from the womb 'til senescence)

There. Thanks for the reviews and alerts! You make me motivated. ILY! c:

Reviews and ConCrit are welcome.


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